


Another Perspective

by rosesroses



Category: What a Girl Wants (2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 03:23:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19287112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesroses/pseuds/rosesroses
Summary: What a Girl Wants from Libby and Henry's perspective.





	Another Perspective

LIBBY

_l thought maybe the answer was taking a year or two off before college...to find out what I’m supposed to do with my life. But deep down, I think I’ve always known... what I really need more than anything else in the world is to find him... to find my dad._

_Mom, you always said it was up to me to write the rest of my story... but you've been writing it for me, Mom._

_Now it has to be my turn._

 

My heart broke listening to the voicemail Daphne left me after leaving for the airport. I promised myself before Daphne was born that I would never lie to her about her father. As a result, for the past seventeen years Daphne had fostered hope, resentment, confusion, and affection into the absent Henry Dashwood. And now those emotions had taken her away from me and to London to find her father.

I was terrified.

Worst case scenario? Daphne would be coldly rebuffed by the Dashwood estate and come back home crying.

Who was I kidding? Worst case scenario would be what had happened to me – she would fall in love with her father then be utterly betrayed by him. And come back home crying. No matter how I looked at the situation, it always ended with my daughter heartbroken and crying.

All I could do now was wait.

 

HENRY

“I already have a picture of you,” the girl said.

She pulled a photograph out of her bag and handed it to me. I took the photo and found myself looking at me, age twenty-two, in a Moroccan market. This was from the time I met –

“How did you get this photo?” I demanded.

“Libby gave it to me.”

Libby.

“Why on earth would Libby give this to you?”

“She thought I might want to know what my father looked like.”

Everything I thought I knew about myself shattered with just that sentence.

 

After my mother unilaterally decided Daphne would stay in the house with us and began giving her a tour, I retreated to my study. After hearing the words _I'm Libby's daughter_ , there had been no question in my mind. The resemblance was subtle but definite. Plus she had my eyes.

I had to call Libby and get some answers from her. Years ago, I had asked a friend living in New York City to look up Libby Reynolds in the phone directory. I'd kept the number for over a decade, even though I'd been sure I would never call her. I guess it had been a way to keep the love of my life within arm's reach.

“Hello?” Libby sounded tired, which was no big surprise – it was the middle of the night there.

“Libby.”

“Is she there? Is she all right?”

“Yeah, she's here, she's fine.”

“Thank God.”

“Libby...”

After all these years, there were so many things I wanted to say to her. But there was only one conversation we could have now.

“How could you not tell me I’d fathered a child? You let her show up on my doorstep years later, unannounced –"

"And what? Put a dent in your political career?"

"No, that's not –"

"If you're afraid of a scandal, just send her back."

"It’s not about scandal, it's about finding out I had a daughter for half my life!”

I put down the phone for a moment to rein my emotions back in.

"Libby?"

"I didn't want her to get hurt." Her voice was raw.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ask your advisors. They've gotten you this far, haven't they?"

I was silent. Alistair had persuaded me to not go after Libby, to focus on the estate and my political career. If I had followed my heart back then...

“I'm sorry, Henry,” Libby said. “I know this must be hard for you too.”

I couldn't let her apologize to me. Despite my shock and hurt, none of this was her fault.

“No, I apologize, Libby. I should have done more for you. For you both.”

 

LIBBY

That week my emotions were a wreck. I was scared for Daphne, apprehensive about what might happen in London without me, and confused over Henry. I knew I had never really gotten over him. How could I? He was the love of my life, and I was so busy raising Daphne that I never dated anyone else. But I didn't expect how shaken hearing his voice again would make me.

I kept flashing back to our time in Morocco. The way we met, the way we fell in love, our wedding – all of it. I usually didn't let myself think about the past, but without Daphne here, my loneliness and nostalgia worked overtime.

What if I had stayed back then? Stood my ground against Alistair and tried to convince Henry that our relationship could work?

But what if I had stayed, and he had just rejected us later? Daphne would have been worse off, I expect.

During a guitar lesson with one of my younger students, I remembered how sweet and vulnerable Daphne had been as a child. Of course she tried to put on a hardened front now, but she was still the exact same.

I remembered how Henry had changed once we left Morocco and arrived in London. He had told me he was part of the English nobility, and I had naively thought that wouldn't present an obstacle to our love. He had thought so too.

But when we met his family, it was obvious they saw it very differently. And I saw their attitudes change Henry's. He withdrew from me, and I saw the lovely, open, sweet man I fell in love with gradually disappear.

After his father died, I was devastated. Henry had confided to me that he wanted to become closer with his father. Work and academic pursuits had conspired to keep them distant for many years. And now he would never get a chance to remedy that.

After the funeral, Henry started spending more time with me. I felt guilty for hoping that his father's death had made him re-examine his priorities and desires in life, but I just wanted us to stay together and be happy together.

But not long after, the vultures descended. Lawyers, accountants, and political advisors invaded the Dashwood residence. The latter stayed even after the accounts were settled, and began transforming Henry into what they would. Towards the end, I only saw Henry for a couple of minutes here and there throughout the day. Away from my friends and family in America, I started spending more time in the city, trying to make London my home. Even then, I still thought I would stay.

 

HENRY

After breakfast, I strode through the front hall and opened the door, but the sight of a motorcycle in our driveway stopped me cold. Who did _that_ belong to? One of Clarissa's suitors?

I turned around a saw a young man with spiky black hair and a black leather jacket sitting on an armchair. Definitely not one of Clarissa's suitors.

"Hello, sir. Ian Wallace. I’m here to pick up Daphne. How are you doing?"

"How do you do?"

"Good."

If he was here to court Daphne, I had to learn more about him.

"Who are you?" I asked rather inelegantly. I had no idea how to do this.

"I’m a musician. I was at the ball last night."

"You're in the band. But now you and Daphne are...."

"Eloping together? Yeah. l realize it's a bit sudden... but after last night, there really was no turning back."

Surely Daphne was too young to get married?

"You're joking."

"Yes, sir."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

Daphne breezed into the room, her face lighting up as soon as she saw Ian. She pulled Ian toward the door and yelled out "Don't wait up!" before disappearing outside.

I stood in the doorway and watched as they carelessly plopped motorcycle helmets onto their heads and raced down the driveway. That Ian Wallace was riding way too fast!

 

Later that day, after Percy had confirmed for the fourth time that Daphne had still not returned to the residence, I called Libby.

"Hello?"

"Five hours ago, your daughter rode off on the back of a motorcycle and hasn't been heard from since!"

"Are we talking about a date?" She displayed an alarming lack of worry.

"l don't know, but I dread to think! The boy's in some sort of band!"

"Really? Cool. Let me guess, he's a drummer."

"This is serious, Libby." I wondered if I should tell her about the eloping “joke” Ian had made.

"As I recall, I spent a great deal of time on the back of your motorbike, Henry."

"Well, I think that's rather different."

"Strange how easy it comes, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Worrying."

I realized suddenly that I was worrying about Daphne in a way I never worried about Clarissa. I tried to tell myself I was only concerned because Daphne was a stranger to London, but I knew the instinct went deeper than that.

"Does it ever go away?"

"No, Henry, it doesn't."

“Hmmm... Well, I would like to say that I was a very responsible motorcyclist.”

“You were,” Libby said sweetly. “ _I_ was the one who made you speed and do fancy tricks.”

I smiled as I remembered our excursions in Morocco and London on my motorbike.

“Yes, you were very bad,” I teased.

Libby laughed. I realized how much I had missed that laugh.

“Libby – ” I started.

I heard Glynnis calling my name from another room.

"Libby, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to run."

 

LIBBY

The day the doctor's office called with my pregnancy test results was both the best and worst day of my life. I was excited that I was pregnant and excited to tell Henry. But Percy devastated me by revealing Henry already knew I was pregnant and wanted me to go back home, to leave him. I was so distraught that I barely put up a fight as Percy shoved my bags in my arms and pushed me into the car.

How could Henry do this to me? Without even discussing it first? I knew our relationship had become strained, but I felt confident if we spent more time together, everything would go back to normal. I guess he didn't feel the same way. I guess he valued his potential political career more than he valued me.

In a way, I wasn't surprised. Percy had told me over and over again what a political force Henry would be. He wanted to make him the prime minister, even. A wild American girl with no connections couldn't be a part of the picture. Percy didn't say that outright but I knew that was what he meant me to understand.

Once in New York, I went back and forth over whether I should call Henry and curse him out or if I should just put it all behind me and focus on myself and the baby. The former option made me angry just thinking about it – that couldn't be good for the baby. So I decided to forget Henry and his betrayal and focus on my baby.

Seventeen years later, and I didn't regret my decision at all.

But now I worried about what co-parenting with Henry would be like. I read on British gossip websites that he was engaged to Percy's daughter, Glynnis Payne. I would probably have to play nice with her and Percy for Daphne's sake. The very thought made my blood boil.

To my surprise, Daphne started showing up on the gossip websites. The stories quickly took up a pattern – Daphne doing something outrageous or indecorous or both. Every time we spoke on the phone, Daphne swore up and down that she was going to behave better and not give the press anything to talk about, but then the next day I would check the websites and see she had pushed a man into the river at a rowing event. We had a good laugh about that one later. I wholeheartedly supported her actions after hearing how rude and creepy that Armistead was! But a few hours later, Daphne called again.

“Mom, I'm really going to try harder to be more of a 'Dashwood lady',” she said.

“Let's see, that makes it the eighth time you've made that promise,” I teased.

“I know,” Daphne sighed. “But I really need to do this... I'm disappointing Henry, even if he doesn't say it to my face. I don't want to keep disappointing him.”

I held my tongue. I would bet my life that Henry knew nothing about Daphne's life in London and just wanted her to conform to his.

Daphne laid out her battle plan for me.

“First, I'm going to get a new wardrobe, start dressing more like Clarissa. As much as I dislike her, I have to admit she has one of the better wardrobes out here.”

“Mmm,” I said. “Well, I hope it works out better than the time your high school tried to implement a uniform.”

Daphne giggled.

“Hey! I had to protect my human right to self-expression!”

“Yes, but did you _have_ to paint all the hallways in protest? I nearly had a heart attack when the school told me how much repaint everything would cost.”

“I know, I'm sorry,” Daphne groaned. “But the protest worked! It took longer for my friends and I to wash away the paint than it did for the administration to backtrack.”

“They were scared of what you would do next!”

Daphne laughed. “Ok, step two is avoid anything that might land me in trouble. I'll avoid Armistead at events, avoid Clarissa and her friends, and try to avoid Ian at parties. We just get into too much trouble together.”

“More like you drag him into your trouble,” I teased.

“Shut up,” she said.

“What's step three?”

“That's it, really. Surprisingly easy, right?”

I laughed. “We'll see.”

 

Daphne made true to her word and I saw less articles about her on the gossip websites. Now, all the articles she was mentioned in were just lists and photo galleries about who showed up to what event. I was proud of her for making such a change, but the photos worried me. Daphne did not look like herself.

I got the same impression during our phone calls. When I asked if she had been to any new cool places in London, she didn't have any to share.

“I've just been going to all these events with Henry and Glynnis and Clarissa,” she explained. “It's pretty boring but it's better this way. Less chance for me to get photographed doing something weird.”

_But are you doing anything_ you _want to do?_ I thought but didn't say.

“How's it going with Ian?” I asked instead.

“Umm, it's okay. He's kind of mad at me for missing The Strokes concert to go to the royal dress show, but I'm sure we'll make up soon.”

That really worried me. I knew Ian had become Daphne's rock and confidante in London. If she was spending all her time with the Dashwoods and no time with her best friend, she must be feeling so confined.

 

HENRY

Much to my and my advisors' relief, after my talk with Daphne, her behavior improved, and the press had only positive things to say. I hadn't originally wanted to give her that lecture. Daphne told me that she was trying to do better and I believed her. But my advisors said the situation was urgent. My approval ratings were fluctuating wildly due to her antics, and the election was not far off. We needed to reign her in and regain the constituents' trust.

Daphne transformed beautifully. She ditched her too casual American clothing – which honestly reminded me of my own style back in the day – and adopted a more elegant, genteel style. She stayed away from Ian at events. I thought that was a great idea, but Libby disagreed.

“Ian is her best friend over there,” Libby pointed out during one of our calls. We had gotten into the habit of talking on the phone everyday. Sometimes even multiple times a day.

“Daphne has plenty of friends besides Ian,” I said.

“Oh yeah? Who?”

“Well there's... uh... Ah yes, the Orwood twins, they absolutely adore Daphne.”

“Daphne likes them too,” Libby conceded. “But they're not close. The girls are obsessed with their new boyfriends and don't have much time between them and Lord Orwood trotting them around every event. Who else?”

“Mmm.. well... Clarissa?”

“Be serious, Henry.”

I chuckled. “Okay, okay, not Clarissa.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“Who, Clarissa?”

“No, Daphne.”

“Of course, I see her every day.”

“No, I mean, really talked to her. For longer than the five minutes at breakfast.”

“Well, now that you mention it... No, I guess I haven't.”

“Well, if you _had_ , you would know that Daphne hasn't seen Ian in weeks, since she blew him off to go to the royal dress show.”

“Oh.”

“And she doesn't sound like she's very happy over there now.”

_Happiness isn't everything_ , I almost said. But the thought of Daphne stopped me. Whenever I looked at her, all I wanted was for her to be happy and healthy. I hadn't realized her transformation had come with negative consequences. I guess I was so pleased with the outer result that I didn't much care about the inner impact.

“How do you know about all this? Have you talked to her?” I asked Libby.

“Of course, I'm her mother,” Libby said almost smugly. “I was her first best friend, after all.”

I knew Libby didn't mean to, but those words pierced me in the heart. I had missed out on Daphne's infancy, childhood, and most of her adolescence. Would I have been a better father to her now if I had been there from the start? But that thought came with the conviction that I wouldn't be an aspiring politician now if Libby and I had stayed together. Before I got too carried away with that fantasy, I refocused on the conversation at hand.

“So what do you suggest?” I asked.

“Communication. _Talk_ to her. Listen to her. Ask questions. And make changes _for her_. I know you didn't sign up for this, but it's a parent's responsibility.”

Before I could respond, I was interrupted by Percy.

“Lord Dashwood, you're late for the meeting. All your advisors are here already.”

“Oh, yes, thank you Percy. I'll be there right away.”

“Gotta go?” Libby asked.

“Yes, sorry Libby.”

“You're always apologizing,” she teased. “Goodbye Henry.”

“Goodbye.”

 

LIBBY

Just as I was about to press the end call button, I heard a woman on the other end shouting wait. Oh no, was it Glynnis?

I put the phone back to my ear.

“Hello?” I said.

“Hello, is this Libby Reynolds?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent, this is Jocelyn Dashwood. I–”

“Jocelyn!” I exclaimed. “What a wonderful surprise!”

“Yes, yes, it's a pleasure to speak to you again after all these years,” Jocelyn said. “Now, you know about Daphne's coming out party, right?”

“Yes. I wish I could go, but I can't afford to skip off to London just now.”

“Well, that was what I wanted to talk to you about. I have an idea.”

 

Two days later, I was in London having tea at a fancy restaurant with Lady Jocelyn Dashwood. We kept my trip and arrival a secret so we could surprise Daphne at the party. After tea, Jocelyn took me to a clothing store to pick out a dress. She insisted on buying the dress for me despite my protests.

“It's the least I could do,” she said.

I gave her a hug, which she resisted at first then allowed, muttering “Reynolds women...” under her breath.

I laughed and went to try on the dresses I had picked. The third one was both of our favorites.

“Absolutely stunning,” she said. “Henry will feel quite idiotic for letting you get away, I imagine.”

I chuckled and smoothed down the front of the dress. “Oh, I doubt that. I'm sure he's very in love with Glynnis and forgot all about me until Daphne showed up.”

Jocelyn made a disbelieving noise. “I'm sure the only person that loves Glynnis Payne is her father, and then only for her utility.”

I found this very interesting, but before I could ask about it further, Jocelyn instructed the store clerk to charge the dress to her account and deliver it to the Dashwood residence tomorrow afternoon.

“I apologize but I must get going now, Libby. The driver will take you back to your hotel or anywhere you want to go. He'll also fetch you for the party tomorrow. See you then!”

“Thank you!”

I spent a few more moments in the dressing room, admiring both the dress and myself, imagining seeing Henry again for the first time in seventeen years. My stomach fluttered like first love. Well – it was first love, wasn't it?

 

HENRY

I was quite pleased with the turn out for Daphne's coming out party. Many respectable families, impartial reporters, and even Ian's band, whom I booked at Libby's suggestion. All that was missing was the debutante herself.

The chatter in the ballroom quietened for a moment, and I turned to see Daphne standing at the top of the staircase. She looked beautiful and very adult. No smile, in the British way. At least that's what I hoped she was going for, and not a reflection of her inner state.

I approached her as she descended.

“Daphne... you look...”

“Different?” she asked.

I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I took her hand and led her past the reporters. Daphne said her hellos to Glynnis and Alistair, then left our group to greet others. I managed to see her speak with Ian at the stage. The interaction didn't seem to go well. _Was it my fault?_ I wondered. I decided I would have a sit down with Daphne as soon as possible, so we could work out a way for her to be a Dashwood family member and still retain her own independence, life, and interests. That hadn't been possible for me seventeen years ago, but maybe it could be different for her.

I soon lost sight of Daphne, but I wasn't worried. I had complete trust in her. A few minutes later I heard a voice exclaim “Mom!” That sounded like Daphne. I turned to see her rushing toward a blonde woman in a blue gown.

Libby.

 

LIBBY

I was nervous and excited. Daphne had just made her entrance and now it was my turn. I felt somewhat daunted as I descended the stairs and numerous reporters started taking my picture. I could hear them asking each other who I was, even as they darted to and fro to get good angles.

I turned away from the camera flashes and saw Daphne in a stunning white dress and beautiful tiara, beaming from ear to ear.

"Mom!"

We rushed to one another and hugged.

"Oh Daphne, I've missed you so much."

"What are you doing here?"

"Jocelyn thought you might need a pal while you're being fed to the sharks,” I teased.

I held her at arms length to get a better look at her.

“Honey, you look so beautiful," I said.

"Look at you, Mom! Are you actually wearing a bra?"

“Duh.”

Daphne looked to the side, and I followed her gaze. I spotted Jocelyn, Glynnis Payne, a few strangers... And Henry.

"Come on," Daphne said.

 

HENRY

My stomach dropped and my heart soared simultaneously. I was terrified of seeing Libby in the flesh again yet irresistibly drawn to her. She looked as beautiful as ever.

I watched as Daphne and Libby hugged and spoke to one another. The joyful light in Daphne's face and eyes was reflected in Libby's face and eyes. Seeing them together for the first time – my daughter and my... What? The love of my life... It felt like something inside me that had been shut away for the last seventeen years suddenly unlocked.

Daphne brought Libby to our group.

“Hello, Henry,” Libby said.

“Libby.” I couldn't take my eyes off her.

“Hello, Lucy. I'm Glynnis, Henry's fiancée.”

“It's Libby, actually. And congratulations.”

“Well, what a lovely surprise. I see you've come with no escort. Henry, you must find somebody divine for Lubby here to dance with.”

“Libby. Remember?” Daphne said. “And why doesn't he just ask her himself?”

I recognized the mischievous glint in Daphne's eye, but for once, I was glad to go along with her plan.

Libby and I walked to the dance floor hand in hand.

 

LIBBY

We danced to a beautiful song sung by a young man I assumed was Daphne's Ian. Somehow, even after seventeen years, being in Henry's arms still felt so right. We started reminiscing about the past, exchanging jokes like no time had passed at all. My heart ached as I got a glimpse of what our lives could have been like.

"I had faith in you, Henry," I said.

"Just not enough, hm? You didn't say goodbye. You just disappeared."

"That's what you wanted."

"What I wanted? What I wanted was to be given a chance."

"You have had seventeen years of chances, and I've had seventeen years of waiting for you to take them."

The song ended and we drew apart.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the traditional father daughter dance,” Ian announced. “Lord Dashwood?"

We looked around.

"Where is Daphne?" Henry asked.

"I'll find her."

I gladly took my leave of Henry and started searching for Daphne. I didn't see her in the ballroom and went into the hallways to search.

“Daphne! Daphne!” I called.

I opened every door and knocked on the locked ones. Finally, I heard her voice.

"Help! Someone! I can't miss my own father daughter dance!"

"Honey?"

"Help!"

I came to a closed door and heard her pounding at it from the other side. I unlocked the door.

“Mom!” Daphne rushed out. “I'm so glad to see you!”

“Daphne, what happened?” I exclaimed.

“Glynnis happened, that's what.” Daphne started marching back to the ballroom.

We found Glynnis as soon as we entered the ballroom.

"How dare you, Glynnis? How dare you?" Daphne demanded.

"Daphne darling, we don't want a scene now, do we?" Glynnis wheedled.

"Take your hand off my daughter, or you won't get a scene, you'll get a Broadway musical."

I stared Glynnis down until we both realized that Daphne had frozen. We glanced at her then followed her gaze... to see Henry dancing the father daughter dance with Clarissa. Oh, Henry.

The music faded as Ian realized Daphne was back. Daphne walked toward Henry and Clarissa. I saw her take off the tiara and offer it to Clarissa, who snatched it away like she didn't believe she would be allowed to keep it. Daphne headed to the staircase. I followed her, glaring at Henry. How could he do this to her?

"Daphne! Daphne! Wait!" Henry called after us.

Daphne stopped on the stairs and turned to Henry.

"No. I'm done waiting, Henry. You know, when I was little, every birthday I'd get all dressed up, and I'd wish... that if I was good enough... that you'd come and find me. And now here I am, in the most beautiful dress I could ever imagine and... you're here. You know what I miss now? I miss being me. I finally realize that that is enough."

There she was, my daughter. I couldn't help the look of pride that crossed my face.

"You know, Daphne... Maybe we're just trying to make something work here... which isn't...."

"Pray be upstanding for Her Majesty the Queen!" We heard the shout and trumpets start from the other room.

Henry half turned then refocused on Daphne. As the trumpets went on, he continued fidgeting. Daphne just watched him, a resigned expression taking hold of her face.

"Go ahead. Duty calls."

Daphne resumed climbing the stairs.

"Come on, honey," I said.

I looked back at Henry from the top of the stairs. I was hidden by the railing and wasn't sure if he could see me, but he was still looking our way. He looked forlorn. I supposed it was the first time in his life that something didn't go exactly as he had planned.

I sighed internally as I recalled my trepidation over co-parenting Daphne with him. I hoped we would at least be able to do that. Or had he wrecked his relationship with her too thoroughly? Had he wrecked his relationship with me?

I turned away from him and followed Daphne.

 

HENRY

That moment when I saw Libby and Daphne together was a turning point. It made me question the choices I had made throughout my life and made me realize that I didn't have to continue in the same path. Not anymore.

Obviously, I couldn't expect either Daphne or Libby to welcome me with open arms after the disaster at the coming out party, but I would do everything I could to reshape my life so we could be a family, whatever form that would eventually take.

Right after I withdrew from the election, punched Alistair in front of the steps of the council hall, and broke off my engagement with Glynnis, I rang Ian Wallace.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Yes, this is Henry Dashwood.” I shook out my slightly throbbing hand. I hoped Alistair's face felt worse. “I was wondering if you had some time for a little holiday to America?”

 

I spent the plane ride dozing fitfully, staring unhappily at the chair back in front of me, and trying to organize my scattered thoughts into an eloquent apology. Two apologies, one for each of the now most important people in my life. I needed to let Daphne know that I would support her as a real father should. And I had to apologize to Libby for not fighting for us.

As much as I wanted to lay all the blame at Alistair's feet, I couldn't ignore the fact that my own actions seventeen years ago had kept us apart as much as Alistair's plotting did. Alistair started planting seeds in my mind about Libby the moment we arrived in England from Morocco, but my indecision, doubt, and political ambition had watered them.

My past heartbreak over Libby blended with my present guilt about letting her down. I couldn't stop thinking about what Libby had said at the ball. _You have had seventeen years of chances, and I've had seventeen years of waiting for you to take them._ Daphne told me that Libby hadn't dated anyone since she was born... Had she really been waiting for me?

 

On the taxi ride to the wedding Libby's band was playing at, Ian told me he was worried about Daphne's reaction to seeing him.

“We didn't leave off on the best of terms,” he admitted.

“Likely better than how I left things,” I said. “If anything, my presence will make it easier for her to forgive you.”

We chuckled.

“Well, best of luck to both of us then,” he said.

 

That luck worked. At the wedding, Daphne took pity on me and interrupted my rambling apology with “I love you, Dad.”

That simple utterance took my breath away.

“I love you,” I said.

We hugged. Over her shoulder, I saw Libby watching us, tears in her eyes. She smiled at me, and I allowed myself to feel a bit of hope.

“Might I have the honor of this dance?” I asked Daphne.

We walked onto the dance floor and started dancing to the father daughter song.

After a few minutes, I gave Daphne her surprise. It went over fantastically; Ian shouldn't have worried for a second. As they started catching up, I headed to Libby. She met me at the side of the stage.

 

LIBBY

Daphne told me about Alistair's plot to break Henry and I up almost as soon as we pulled away from the Dashwood residence. I was so shocked, I didn't know what to say.

“I'm really sorry, Mom,” Daphne said.

“Oh, Daphne.” I pulled her to me and kissed her head. “Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.”

Daphne shook her head glumly. “I saw how he looked at you at the party.”

I wished I could bask in the joy of that memory, but the image was inseparable from the memory of Daphne's face when she saw Henry and Clarissa dancing together at her party.

Back in New York, we quickly settled back into our normal life, and Daphne started applying to colleges. Singing at weddings became tough for me. Every love song always reminded me of Henry, but the feelings had faded to a tolerable level over time. But now, after seeing him again, the longing, pain, and love had resurged with a vengeance.

As the opening chords to _Have I Told You Lately_ played at one wedding, I thought about my favorite lyrics – _There's a love that's divine / and it's yours and it's mine like the sun_. Even though it hadn't worked out between us, our love had always felt divine to me.

I raised the mic to start singing and froze. Henry was here. I watched as he found Daphne and had a conversation with her that ended with a hug. By that point, I was tearing up. I struggled to hold it together as I watched them share the father daughter dance. The pianist realized there was no way I could sing and took over the performance. After a few minutes, I saw Ian sneak up on Daphne and surprise her. Then Henry headed my way. I went to the side of the stage to meet him.

"You never did want me to go, did you?" I asked.

"There never was anyone else, was there?" Henry asked.

I shook my head.

"I'd say I owe you a rather large apology," Henry said.

"You think I've waited years for an apology?"

He took the hint and finally kissed me.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you read this because you love What a Girl Wants, please leave a comment! I feel like there's no fandom for this movie at all since it's so old hahaha.


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